In the coming years, the City of Tallinn will build a series of new and upgraded cycle paths in the city centre and the surrounding districts. Investments are planned from the city's budget as well as from EU funds, with a strong emphasis on community involvement.

"Our aim is to gradually implement the Tallinn Bicycle Strategy and encourage the bicycle to become an everyday means of transport. The priority for the coming years will be to develop a core network of cycle paths in and around the city centre. Investments are planned both from the city's own resources and from EU structural funds. Plans for some of the sections can already be discussed today, while a more precise timetable will be known by the end of this year," explained Vladimir Svet, Deputy Mayor in charge of environment and public works. 

The construction of the cycle infrastructure will be divided into several phases. Firstly, a series of bicycle lanes will be built this year on Vana-Kalamaja, Jõe, Pronksi and Tulika streets. The construction of a bicycle lane on Sadama Street is in the final stages. The cycle path from Hobujaama towards the harbour will be completed together with the Old Harbour tramline, and a section of the cycle path linking Poska Street and Reid Road will be built.

In many places, the construction of the bicycle lanes will require close cooperation with the network operators and major reconstruction of the street space. This year, design work will start to make the city centre's main arterial roads more cycle-friendly in the coming years. Of the larger streets, Toompuiestee, Kaarli puiestee, Endla, Luise and Paldiski road will be included, as well as Lastekodu, Tehnika, Veerenni and Kotka streets, and a number of smaller roads. The first objects on this list will go into construction next year, but the exact list is subject to change.

In addition to resolving the issues related to the Main Street project, high quality bicycle lanes will be built on Pärnu and Narva roads. Cycling lanes will also be built on Liivalaia Street, for which design work will start in the second half of this year, once a study on new tram corridors has been completed.

As the complete design of the streets will take some time, the city intends to make a number of intersections and public transport stops safer for cyclists this year and next. Small projects will include a new quick solution for the intersection of Majaka-Lasnamäe streets, stops around Vabaduse Square, corrections to the Gonsiori street intersections and several other locations. In some places, these steps will help to modify existing solutions, while in others they will be replaced by comprehensive projects.

Ways will be sought to better separate the existing red bicycle lanes from the main road through different traffic management solutions. The future use of red paint to better mark lanes will be a separate issue. To this end, the city is awaiting a study that should answer the question of why the paint has not held up in winter conditions, even though the contractor had promised it to do so.

"In total, we want to build about 40 km of new bicycle lanes in the city centre. We will certainly involve local communities in the development of the new comprehensive projects as well as in the implementation of smaller changes. We will be able to publish the first designs for consultation in the coming weeks. We have a long way to go to make the city more cycle-friendly and we are ready to make the effort," added Deputy Mayor Svet.

Scheme of cycle paths in city centre and surrounding areas 2022+ (Tallinn Space Creation Centre of Excellence):